Government Operations Committee on May 8th, 2020

[The Clerk]

There's nothing that obliges a witness to make an opening statement. However, our previous practice of taking an opening statement and appending it to the evidence unfortunately requires a motion of the committee to do so. The committee isn't empowered to entertain this motion, pursuant to the order adopted by the House, so we find ourselves in a unique situation.

Also, the speaking notes we got today for the witnesses in the second half we received anytime from last night to this morning. There was simply not enough time for us to translate them, to be able to distribute them to members ahead of time.

These are some of the reasons for having witnesses deliver their opening statements before the committee. For the broader public to hear the comments of the witnesses is one of the reasons we've been doing that. I do understand the frustration members are having. We are hoping that we can regulate the technical issues soon.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Mr. Green, I think you had some comments.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I did. Thank you.

I can appreciate members of the public who come in as experts and have their six minutes. What I'm having a difficult challenge with, though, is ministers who come in with a one-hour time limit, regurgitate what amounts to a press release, and then have their staff fumble around reanswering questions that have already been answered.

If I can share this with you, I don't ever want to have to publicly interject with staff or cut people off. I don't like being put in a situation of having to do that, recognizing as the fourth party that all this time that's been used up affects my round and that I'm going to get bumped out. We've even seen members of the governing party and other folks get bumped out because of the fumbling that's happening here. If there's a motion or some way we can forgo or perhaps post the opening statements, or if they can be put out in a media release, I'd be happy with that. On the record, I don't want to get frustrated with having to interject because I'm not getting my time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Thank you, Matthew.

Before I go to Kelly Block—and correct me if I'm wrong, Paul—I suppose that if ministers are appearing, we would be able to contact them prior to their appearance and let them know that the committee would appreciate it if they could go directly to questions and somehow have their statements available but not read into the record.

[The Clerk]

If we have their statements available, we could consider it as a brief and post it on the committee's website. Then you could ask the ministers to go directly to questions if you want. That is an option.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

We'll go to Kelly Block first.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Really quickly, Tom, I think that's an excellent suggestion. If we don't do that, then we should at least ask them to choose a language to give their statement in so that we don't have the fiasco we had today.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

As you know, that's why I interjected halfway through, Kelly, and asked if a question started en français to complete it, and the same thing in English, so we didn't have to worry about spending precious seconds trying to wait for the interpretation to catch up.

Colleagues, that takes us back to Raphaëlle's presentation. We have the list of witnesses. I've heard no one else suggest that we add or delete any of the witnesses suggested, so are we comfortable with going forward with the work plan and the witnesses who have been proposed?

Paul, do we need a recorded vote for this?

[The Clerk]

I think Madame Vignola would like to intervene, Mr. Chair.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I would too, after that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Yes, it's Julie first and then Francis.

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I'd like to make a suggestion.

Often, when time is short and we start another five-minute round, Mr. Green and I do not get a second turn. If there doesn't seem to be enough time for everyone to have a turn, could we go to three minutes? That way, we could each have a little bit of time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Yes, Madame Vignola, you're quite correct. The committee has the ability to set whatever time frame we want. I have arbitrarily done that on a few occasions and cut the times off from six to five to four minutes in an attempt to get as many questions in as possible.

I will take that under consideration, and going forward if it looks as though we're not going to be able to get two complete rounds or the third round in, I will propose that we cut down the time allotted to see if that meets the concurrence and the agreement of committee members.

Francis, I think we have you up next.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I just have a question with regard to one particular witness, and that's Amazon. I know we had all submitted our lists before, but there has been some clarity provided with regard to the role that Amazon is playing, and I would just ask if it's still the will of Mr. Green to propose that particular witness.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

It is absolutely, 100%.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Okay, so you want the same answer?

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

No, I want them in front of our committee. That is what I want, Frank.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Raphaëlle, having heard that, can I entrust you to try to make sure we incorporate a representative from Amazon to appear at the appropriate time?

[Raphaëlle Deraspe]

Yes, it is already included, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Thank you very much.

Are there any other questions or comments? We are running a little over time, and our technicians do have to leave to start setting up another meeting.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Just really quickly, when can we get the updated schedule?

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

The schedule is already out for next week.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Sorry, Tom. I mean the updated witness list, not the meeting schedule.

[The Clerk]

If I may, Mr. Chair, we hope to publish a notice of meeting today. If not, we will publish one on the weekend.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Thank you.